Posted on 10/22/2017 9:47:54 AM PDT by Kaslin
The war on drugs has been going on since 1971, and we have a winner: marijuana. Back then, possession of pot carried heavy penalties in many states -- even life imprisonment. Today, 29 states sanction medical use of cannabis, and eight allow recreational use. Legal weed has become about as controversial as Powerball.
One sign of the shift came in Wednesday's debate among the Democrats running for governor of Illinois. The state didn't get its first medical marijuana dispensary until 2015, and it decriminalized possession of small amounts of pot only last year. But most of the candidates endorsed legalization of recreational weed, and one supported "full decriminalization."
Those positions are not politically risky, in Illinois or most places. They're mainstream.
In 2016, Gallup Poll found that 60 percent of Americans supported full legalization -- up from 36 percent in 2005. Given the choice, voters generally favor it. Nine states had cannabis initiatives on the ballot last year. Medical marijuana won in four states, and recreational pot won in another four. Only Arizona's recreational pot measure failed.
Next year should further erode pot prohibition. "Campaigns are underway in at least five states to legalize either medical or recreational cannabis," reports Marijuana Business Daily. It also notes that New Jersey, Rhode Island and Vermont could get recreational cannabis through legislative action.
All this progress has occurred even though federal law bars possession and use -- impeding normal commerce in states that permit dispensaries. Under President Barack Obama, the Justice Department chose to defer to states that allowed cannabis. But banks generally are leery of doing business with pot dispensaries, forcing many to operate on cash alone.
s a candidate, Donald Trump indicated he would follow more or less the same course as Obama. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, however, has been an implacable opponent of liberalization. He once joked -- well, I assume he was joking -- that he had no problem with the Ku Klux Klan until he "found out they smoked pot."
He appointed a task force on crime, hoping it would confirm his preposterous claim that Obama's laissez-faire policy was to blame for rising violence. But the panel report, which has not been made public, recommended sticking with that approach.
The case for full legalization becomes stronger all the time. One reason is that the disproportionate impact on African-Americans has gained more attention. Blacks are nearly four times likelier to be arrested for pot possession than whites even though there is no racial difference in usage.
Drug enforcement has been a major motive for stop-and-frisk tactics that have fostered resentment of cops among black men. Treating cannabis like beer or cigarettes would greatly curtail such encounters.
For years, opponents said legalization would lead to disaster. But as Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. noted, "A page of history is worth a volume of logic." We no longer have to rely on ominous forecasts. We now have actual experience in states that have taken the leap, and the results refute the fears.
Studies show that after Colorado permitted recreational pot, there was no increase in adolescent use or traffic fatalities. In Washington, which voted for legalization in 2012, crime rates proceeded to decline. California found that when medical dispensaries closed, neighborhood crime didn't fall; it rose.
This year, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine found "substantial evidence that cannabis is an effective treatment for chronic pain in adults." That helps explain why states that allow cannabis have far lower rates of opioid overdoses. The simple reality is that marijuana eases suffering and saves lives.
States with fiscal problems -- Illinois being a prominent example -- also stand to gain from allowing recreational pot. First, they don't have to spend so much money arresting, trying and incarcerating users and sellers. Second, they get a windfall from taxing a product that previously sold only on the black market. Washington's cannabis taxes bring in about $250 million a year.
State governments can also expect savings in Medicaid and other health care programs as some patients opt for inexpensive cannabis over pricey prescription drugs. There are also financial savings for ambulances, hospitals and morgues when fewer people overdose with opioids -- not to mention a lower toll in human misery and heartache.
It's too late to undo all the harm produced by the war on drugs. But Americans are realizing it's never too late to enjoy the benefits of peace.
By saying "I'm certain"? Is that the language with which hypotheses are typically communicated in your circles?
You’re an idiot.
But,hey... If you want to the an argument that you’ll self destruct if daddy government doesn’t stop you, well; you know you better than I do.
The an = make the...
Um... have you lost all motivation to do anything? Do you spend your days seeking a continual "high"? Or are you simply fed up with do-nothing Republicans who were elected for their promises that they would address problems that years of pushing us towards socialism have caused?
The full story is not known yet here.
What seems to be happening is that kids who are predisposed by genetic factors to become psychotic use marijuana, which then triggers the psychosis to manifest. It could be the latent psychotic disorder that makes them more prone to use. What researchers are seeing is that the marijuana users have earlier and more severe manifestations of psychotic disorders. For kids who are at risk of psychosis (based on family history), it would be better for them to avoid any marijuana use, and for treatment to address the underlying genetic disorder, perhaps even to prevent it from ever manifesting.
Once the brain is fully developed (about age 25), there is no more risk of developing a psychosis related to marijuana use. The risk is highest in teenagers.
I don’t use MJ. And am beyond fed up with politics. So fed up that I started reading Christian writings on the subject and came to the conclusion that there is a different and very happy tradition within Christianity that has little to do with politics.
As far as I know, NORML has been advocating for legalization of marijuana for decades, and I know of no other organization that has done so. The voters who voted for "medical" marijuana do not have to be NORML members to have heard their propaganda and taken it as gospel fact. They may not even know where the propaganda comes from, but they believe it to be true simply because they've heard it so often.
Not replying to you specifically Stickman, just that I had to have somewhere to post an additional thought. I was doing some reading earlier this year and came across the fact that early in this country’s history Applejack was the beverage of choice, but that over time it no longer is the drink of choice for Americans. Applejack was used primarily as a substitute for water. Most Americans were obliterated before noon on Applejack...I found that little tidbit humorous.
Humans generally enjoy being in an altererd state. Jordan Peterson went into this once briefly. I think it has something to do with the pain of existence on a subconcious level. Many of us have used drugs, whether it be of the legal or illegal kind. I make no judgement there. The problem comes in when that use impairs living of life, or the cutting off of fingers (!)
If folks want to smoke marijuana or eat it in a cookie or gummy bear, more power to them. It should be heavily regulated such as alcohol and should be up to states to decide. If Utah wants to outlaw pot use, that is up to the fair citizens of Utah. One can always lobby to change the law or move to a more permissive state if desired.
Can Marijauna be harmful. I am certain that it can, just like eating too much salami (nitrates), too much alcohol, and too much of anything. Can it distort brains. Probably does, same with alcohol. But with that in mind, I would rather have marijuana legal and keep meth, herion and other such drugs illegal. Peyote, and other hallucengenic drugs do have a place in society and not for causal use. The Shamans and “Oracles” have used such items throughout history to develop visions and understanding of the world around them. There is even a line of thought that the burning bush encountered by Moses was an acacia tree/bush that is common in the area and known for its effects. One of its effects is said to be the “burning bush.” or somehting like that.
But this gets into a whole wide range of topics involving Alchemy and what not. Terrance McKenna was a leading advocate on such issues. It is an interesting area of study to say the least, but for the topic at hand...the casual use of marijuana, not pertinent.
( I have gone on too long to remember the original point and no I don’t partake....) Except to say that Americans, as well as most human societies throughout history, have found a substance to alter the plain existence, whether it be for amusement and merriment or other reasons. Folks are going to smoke marijuana...not all, but some will. Leave the decision to the states and regulate it and keep it away from children. Heck they can get it easier than I can...
An addendum to my previous post. I would like to see “pot farms” be part of the Farm Bureau, etc. I want pot farms to operate in the open so that the illegal farms disappear. I want to see the professionalism of wineries extended to “pot farms” so that the current seediness of characters associated with the illegal grows is a thing of the past. If its going to be legal...make it legal and professional.
By using the term "I'm certain," I am actually assigning a high level of probability to the possibility that my statement will be demonstrated to be true when evidence becomes available.
"In my circles," that is, in my professional life, I have actually used a hierarchical list of words which linguistic experts have demonstrated are understood to mean various levels of probability. By saying "I'm certain," I am actually saying that I have determined that there is a 90 or 95% probability that the hypothesis is true, based on the evidence and assumptions used to formulate it.
I detest politics more than I can ever fully express. Politicians who are supposed to represent their constituents but instead play stupid games for power are the lowest of the low. I think I understand your point of view.
“As far as I know, NORML has been advocating for legalization of marijuana for decades, and I know of no other organization that has done so. The voters who voted for “medical” marijuana do not have to be NORML members to have heard their propaganda and taken it as gospel fact. They may not even know where the propaganda comes from, but they believe it to be true simply because they’ve heard it so often.”
As far as I know prohibitionists have been lying about cannabis for decades & they continue to do so today. The majority of Florida voters who voted for medical marijuana most likely were informed citizens who at one time or another had used cannabis recreationally or had close friends or family who did. These voters knew 1st hand the BS prohibitionists have been slinging for what it is:crapola.
Excellent post. Thanks for sharing :)
That’s why I don’t debate stoners.
They say the government has no business trying to regulate pot.
So I say then you must believe that heroin must be legal since you say the government has no business controlling drugs.
Then the stoners always call me names.
Party on, dude.
Someone please explain: why smoking tobacco cigarettes is bad and discouraged by the government, but smoking marijuana is good and is encouraged by the government?
And therin lies the crux of the cookie. We have been told that all drugs are bad and one will develop three heads and jump off of buildings, etc...So when one finally takes a puff of the evil weed and found out that there were no (ill) effects (subjective of course)..then they began to wonder what else the governent was lying about. The government through the years have created their own problem here.
I thought I read in Denmark where marijuana has been legal that marijuana use has dropped considerably among he youth of that nation. Is it true? I don’t know.
Marijauna should not be condoned, nor condemned anymore than alcohol. I would wish though, that for casual use the more potent strains be limited. Is there a way to classify marijuana like alcohol content/proof? If not, there should be.
The war on drugs was a horrible mistake. Certain drugs should be illegal, yes. There should be certain lines drawn. But for adults, some things should be legal because it is our own personal freedom to consume products. I always wondered about the chewing of cocoa leaves, if it actually increased productivity and if there were any ill health effcts associated with its use versus the powder cocaine. I think beetle nut (sic?) and Khat produce similar effects?
Marijuana is the issue here and I believe that it should be legal for adults. If there is medical evidence that the human brain can not handle marijuana use until the age of 25, then I have no problem in extending the age limit to marijuana use to 25. Hell make the drinking and voting age 25, or 26 cause Obama said kids are kids until 26. Fine with me. (Obamacare forced parents to keep their children on their health ins until age 26)
If someone doesn’t want to smoke marijuana...don’t consume it. All current laws/regualtions regarding alcohol need always be used for marijuana. If a company wants to test for marijuana use then fine...don’t work there. I have no problem with that. Private business gets to set certain parameters.
If legal, will it get abused? Yup...its abused now...the same with all other drugs legal and illegal. Over time though it is my belief that marijuana will loose its allure and just be what it is...a weed.
One final thought. Hemp as a product. I do not know if hemp is a superior product to anything. From a retail standpoint I have sold hemp products like backpacks, hats etc. My costumers hold hemp to be some sort of miracle product. I laugh, cause its just a fiber like anything else. But I cater to their belief system to make the sale.
But, if there is a market for hemp products and hemp oils, etc, then it should be fully exploited as an industrial and renewable product. Why not? The only reason it isn’t today is that authorities are afraid that marijuana will sneak in with the hemp. sigh...
Well shelterguy I do not smoke pot, nor take drugs excpet those perscribed by the VA. Heroin should be illegal. Marijuana should be legal. Peyote should be used for religious purposes...let me ask, what about making tea from acacia leaves?
At one time in this nation’s history alcohol was illegal. Would you have broken the law to drink? Marijuana was not illegal. Then the lawsa changed and marijuana was made illegal and alcohol was made illegal. Heroin never entered into the equation, though it was legal until around 1910 or so IIRC. So it has been proved the government can make some things legal and other things illegal. Just like “Bump Stocks”. One time there were illegal, then legal and now might be made illegal again. Does the government have the right to regulate such things? If bullets and rifles are legal, and bump stocks are illegal, then alcohol and marijuana can be legal and heroin and meth illegal.
But, but “guns” are protected by the second amendment. Yes, they are. Where in the constitution does it say that marijuana is illegal? The 9th and 10th gives those power to the states and the people on those issues not covered by the constitution, ergo, states can individually make alcohol illegal or legal, and thusly marijuana illegal, or legal. So then we go back around to the fact that then the states can make herion legal based upon that argument. I would say that the Federal government does whatever it wants to do and the constitution be damned. So if that is the case, then marijuana can be legal and heroin be illegal.
Thanks for playing. And look...no names!
Correction: Then the lawsa changed and marijuana was made illegal and alcohol was made illegal (Should read: and alcohol was made legal.)
Thanks for supplying that entry from your personal dictionary. You'll understand if I assign a quite different probability.
My personal dictionary? Not quite--I'm just using the tools that I have been using for years in my professional life.
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